Today’s
employment numbers are yet another indication that our economy is moving in the
right direction. The unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent and 243,000 jobs
were added in January, making this the 23rd consecutive month of job growth.
Private sector job growth has been driving the decrease in unemployment, with
the private sector adding 257,000 jobs last month. The manufacturing sector
alone grew by 50,000 jobs in January, showing that manufacturing is still an
important and growing part of the American economy. In the last two years,
manufacturing added 330,000 jobs in the U.S. – the strongest growth since the
1990s. And today, we learned that new orders for manufactured goods rose 1.1
percent in December 2011.

Despite
this, our work remains far from over. We need faster economic growth to put
Americans back to work and we won’t let up until everyone who wants a job can
find a job. We must redouble our efforts to create an economy that is built to
last.

So
what does that mean? I can tell you first hand. Over the past 10
days, I’ve traveled to Norfolk, Columbus and Pittsburgh to talk with businesses
that are on the front lines of strengthening the elements of an economy built
to last: American manufacturing, American energy, and training for American
workers.

I’ve
talked with manufacturers who are making everything from mattresses to advanced
batteries. My message to them is a simple one: This Administration – this
Department – wants to help more businesses like yours build it here and sell it
everywhere.

We
can and must build on the momentum the economy has gained in four key ways.

Guest blog post by Francisco Sánchez, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, International Trade Administration

It’s always good to be back in my hometown of Tampa, Florida.

This morning, I was proud to participate in a powerful and productive discussion at a White House Hispanic Community Action Summit, which took place at the University of Tampa. It was another great opportunity for Obama administration officials and community leaders to exchange thoughts and perspectives about the challenges currently facing our nation.

Although a number of topics were discussed, there was one that was near the top of everybody’s agenda—the economy.

Sure, there’s been a lot of good news lately; all of us were very encouraged by today’s jobs report which showed that 257,000 private sector jobs were created in January and the unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent.

Thanks to President Obama’s leadership, the United States has had 23 straight months of private sector growth, for a total of 3.7 million jobs over that period.

But, there’s still a lot of work to do to ensure that everybody who wants a job can get one.

Secretary
John Bryson stopped by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday to meet with employees and tour
the facility. It was the first time he had visited the USPTO office
since being confirmed as Commerce Secretary in October of last year.

While
he was there, the Secretary congratulated the USPTO for its work on the
implementation of the historic America Invents Act, which encourages innovation
by making the
first set of major reforms in the U.S. patent system since
the 1800s. The America Invents Act allows businesses to get new
ideas to market faster by reducing the time it takes to review applications for
new patents to 12 months. By working to implement this law and rebuilding
America’s intellectual property system from the ground up,
the USPTO is making it easier for businesses to invest in new technologies, launch new
industries, and create new jobs—in a 21st century global market.

Bryson also had the opportunity to discuss the USPTO’s
efforts to improve patent quality. The USPTO has issued new guidelines that
will clarify and tighten the standards for the issuance of patents. The new
guidelines offer a more comprehensive measurement of the quality of patent
examinations to ensure high standards in our patent process.